There is noticeable panic in the camp of Governor Hope Uzodimma after two former governors, Senator Rochas Okorocha and Emeka Ihedioha, wined, chatted and danced at the funeral of the mother of Uche Nwosu, Late Jemaimah Adanweze Nwosu, aged 78, at Eziama Obiare in Nkwerre LGA.
The two former governors, adjudged political foes, may have buried their differences as they engaged in close discussions to the admiration of invitees and several guests at the event.
The parley had resonated political permutations that the trio of Ihedioha, Okorocha, Nwosu, may be in for political realignment ahead of the 2023/24 governorship polls, which will certainly pitch them against Governor Hope Uzodimma.
This is said to have jolted the camp of the governor who has decided to go after those who attended the funeral, including some members of the State Assembly who were seen in a viral video exchanging pleasantries with Okorocha and co.
The suspension of three members of Imo State House of Assembly by the Speaker, has been largely linked to their presence at the funeral. Those suspended are Hon Arthur Egwim (Ideato North), Hon Ngozi Obiefule (Isu) and Hon Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre)
The three three lawmakers were elected on the platform of the Action Alliance, AA, the party Nwosu was its governorship candidate in the 2019 governorship election.
Ibe, the Speaker, was also a product of AA, a platform he used to win a second term to the State House of Assembly. He had switched to three political parties within two years, from AA to PDP and now APC, where he switched allegiance to Uzodimma as a basis to become Speaker.
The presence of the lawmakers at the funeral was said to have given credence to insinuations that they were “channels of communication” , which perhaps reeled out information of on-goings in the House of Assembly and by extension, the Uzodimma’s government.
Media aide to the Speaker, Ifeanyi Onyekachi, in a statement however claimed that the three lawmakers were suspended for “dereliction of duty”
He claimed that the suspension of the three lawmakers “was to serve as deterrent for dereliction of duty and business as usual attitude of the Hon members who take for granted the business of the parliament in respect of which they swore an oath to effectively.
In less than three years, the Imo State House of Assembly has been so unstable, with suspension of members becoming more rampant. The House had witnessed three Speakers within the period- Chiji Collins, to Paul Emeziem and lately, Kennedy Ibe
Sources in Camp Hope told this newspaper that the suspension of the three lawmakers is an eye opener for those in Uzodimma’s camp who wine with the government in the day and flex with the opposition at night.
